Aston Villa and Newcastle Champions League fight- Parallels incredible with 2 years ago | OneFootball

Aston Villa and Newcastle United in a fight for Champions League.

The two teams met on Saturday and we all know what the outcome was.

There are though incredible parallels with two years ago, when it comes to Newcastle United, Aston Villa and the Champions League.

Let me explain…

The 2022/23 Premier League season was an eventful one, for both Aston Villa and Newcastle United.

United had hammered Villa early that season at St James’ Park, 4-0 on 29 October 2022. Unai Emery then taking charge at Villa Park by the time their next match came around, the permanent replacement for Steven Gerrard.

Anyway, fast forward some four and a half months, 15 April 2023 saw third in the table Newcastle United travel to Villa Park.

Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United having won their last five Premier League matches, up against an Emery inspired Villa who had won their last four PL matches, indeed, Aston Villa on a real charge to try and make a Champions League place claim, as they’d picked up 19 points from their last possible 21.

On 15 April 2023, Aston Villa were rampant, taking an early lead and never looking back, winning by a three goal margin (3-0) against a poor (on the day) Newcastle United.

The Aston Villa fans were ecstatic after smashing Newcastle United and making it 22 points from their last possible 24. Nothing was going to stop them under Unai Emery, they had (apparently…) proved that they were far better than Newcastle United, indeed, now under Emery they were surely the best in the Premier League and nothing could stop their irresistible rise, starting with Champions League qualification for sure.

Aston Villa took four points from their next four PL matches…

Aston Villa 2022/2023

Meanwhile, Newcastle United bounced back from losing to ‘best team in the universe’ Aston Villa and won their next three PL matches, including in their next game going 5-0 up within 21 minutes against Spurs, making it eight wins from nine, this run pretty much guaranteeing Eddie Howe’s side Champions League football.

Newcastle United 2022/23

The final 2022/23 Premier League table looked a wonderful sight for Newcastle United fans, less so for Aston Villa fans.

Newcastle United easily making Champions League in fourth place, Aston Villa ending up also-rans some ten points behind United in seventh.

Exactly two years ago, Newcastle still had PL matches to play against Everton, Arsenal, Brighton and Chelsea.

Fast forward two years and Newcastle still have PL matches to play against Everton, Arsenal, Brighton and Chelsea (and Ipswich).

Premier League table as at the morning of Monday 21 April 2025:

Aston Villa fans have once again these past couple of days been proclaiming they are the best team in the universe, despite currently seventh in the Premier League…, how they are now going to prove just what an irresistible force they are under Unai Emery.

History has a habit of giving us important lessons for the future.